Day 3

Goedemiddag, or Good day!

Today was another jam-packed day of orientation activities with the ISN. It started off with the somewhat-traumatic adventure of finding my way down to Spui Square (near Dam Square, aka a 5-10 minute ride) via bicycle. While we had gone there yesterday, I had no clue how to get back there on my own. It started with me riding back and forth on my street, trying to figure out whether to go left or right onto a Valkenburgerstraat, ie a random road.
*side note: The Dutch are TERRIBLE with labelling their streets. Their version of street signs are mini plaques stuck to walls of buildings at random points on the street, and are impossible to find, therefore, one has no bloody idea where they are going.
I rode my bike back and forth for about twenty minutes, only to ask two construction men (in English, since I was in no state to attempt to understand Dutch) where the hell I was. They proceeded to point me in the opposite direction of where I wanted to go. Then I made it near the Amstel River and in the right direction, only to be nearly killed by vehicles, motorcycles, other bikers, not to mention idiotic pedestrians, who I have come to despise. So, after forty-five minutes of biking around Centraal Station, a few tears shed, and about four calls to my orientation coach James Paul, I made it to the Spui Square. Luckily I had a much more successful bike ride back home- I only had to ask for directions once! (In Dutch, by the way).

We started out with cappuccinos and a stroll through the Amsterdam Historic Museum, with lots of old paintings of Dutch civil guards and such. Pretty interesting stuff. We then had a relaxing and quite touristy canal cruise, where the majority of us fell asleep. This was followed by lunch at one of the University cafés, with a yummy tomato/pesto/mozzarrella sandwich and more coffee. I successfully spoke to the waiter in Dutch, and after I told him I was from the States, he proclaimed that I was the first American to have ever spoken in Dutch to him! It made me feel quite good about my Dutch speaking skills. We ended the day with a tour around the city by a Dutch tour guide, where we saw some sort of University hazing (kids dressed up in funny costumes being auctioned off to other students....quite strange!), the Bloemenmarkt or Flower Market, Waterloo Market, which is a great flea market with a wide assortment of inexpensive goods, and other notable locations. I was a bit shocked when we walked through the Red Light District and down the city's narrowest alley, where prostitutes were lining the lane, donned in lingerie and eyeing the men from their doorways. I expected to see them, but I guess not so close!

I am back in my dorm room, looking out at the courtyard full of student's bikes and right on the Prins Hendrikkade street, which is very close to the Center of the city. I hope to sneak in a quick nap before the roommate and I go to Albert Heijn (a grocery store-chain that is popular in the Netherlands) for some necessities and then out to dinner. Apparently our program has scheduled a karaoke night for us international students, but I will probably just stay in and relax. Tomorrow we have a Sports Day, full of athletic activities and Dutch games. I am not sure how much I am looking forward to this.

I am having such a good time here, but I am starting to get worn out from the constant movement and constant activities that we are required to do. But everyone in my orientation group seems to get along great. I have been told that the first stage of studying abroad is euphoria, which I think I am feeling now. I hope that I don't feel the second stage, Sophomore Slump, too intensely. Although I think I already had a taste of it while crying and lost in the city!

I miss: clear-cut road signs
I love: french fries with mayonnaise- sounds gross, but they are SO yummy!